Space is often difficult to find and even more difficult to
convert into allotments. The denser the housing and closer it is to the inner
city the harder it gets as all compete for what land there is. In rural areas
we often find the opposite and there is land but maybe not always where it is required.
We hear about space which could be made into more plots but
the council are reluctant to spend the cash to do it. We hear about other
councils sitting on unspent CIL reserves whilst land and allotment demand
exists. The one thing that is clear is that allotment land opportunities are
shrinking.
We wrote recently about the opportunity to convert some
abandoned railway land in West London. The plot may be small but the community
benefits aren’t. We are trying to galvanise the community to go for a disused
railway viaduct in the heart of the East End of London and in doing so create
an iconic ‘grow line’ for all.
However, much of today’s focus is on the traditional ground level
where space is tight, and some would suggest that there is much more space available
up on the roof and down under the ground. So, perhaps we should apply some lateral
or even ‘vertical’ thinking to expanding our allotments?
Up on the roof…
Roof gardens and farms are not new or difficult to establish
but do need vision and commitment. As this government starts to tear up some of
the planning restrictions in favour of a ‘easier’ and less bureaucratic system and
process do we have the opportunity to redefine community infrastructure needs,
especially on those developments which contribute 106 /CIL monies?
But let’s look at some commercial examples of farming in the
air.
New York has Brooklyn Grange which claims to be the largest
urban rooftop farm in the world serving the local community with fresh organic
produce. Over two acres of rooftop produces over 40,000 lbs of vegetables and
even has chickens and a productive apiary. New York also has Greenpoint and
Gotham Greens, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm and that’s without that iconic world
leading High Line on its West side.
In Holland there are Dakakker in Rotterdam and Zuidpark in
Amsterdam. Japan has City Farm in Tokyo which itself challenges designers in
that it grows many wet crops such as rice. Canada has Lufa Farms in Montreal
which has a 31,000 square foot greenhouse to survive those Canadian winters. Eastdale
Collegiate Institute roof in Toronto opens onto Toronto’s skyline, high above
the neighbourhood’s surrounding buildings. The farm is a collaborative project between
the Toronto District School Board and FoodShare Toronto, which is a social program
promoting urban agriculture and food literacy among students.
In Hong Kon, HK Farm may be small but competes in one of the
most densely populated cities in the world.
In Denmark ØsterGRO is somewhat different and is inspired by
the concept Community Supported Agriculture. It is run by the three employees,
its member families and volunteers. It has been established with support from
the Copenhagen Municipality, is self-sustainable and financed through revenue
educational activities and membership fees from the families involved. Some 13,000
visitors a year learn about food waste and sustainable food production as well
as contribute income. Below the raised flower and vegetable beds, there is a
350 m2 water reservoir where rainfall is collected for the irrigation of plants
during the growing season.
In China Sunqiao district in Shanghai focuses on
integrating vertical farms and research. The majority of Shanghai’s
inhabitants’ diet consists of leaf vegetables, making hydroponic and
aquaponic systems appropriate and lending themselves to growing crops such
spinach, lettuce, kale and watercress which don’t require specific care, grow
quickly and weigh very little. The district features floating greenhouses,
green walls and vertical facades for seed collection.
In Paris and under construction in the south-west of the
city is approximately 14,000 sq metres and the largest urban farm in Europe. It plans to grow
more than 30 different plants, produce around 1,000kg of fruit and vegetables
every day in high season and will be maintained by some 20 gardeners. It will
be located on the top of a major exhibition complex and will be run by Paris’s
renowned chain of rooftop venues, Le Perchoir.
This aerial eatery will offer panoramic views over the capital.
So what does the UK offer on our roofs? What are we doing to
bring fresh right into the heart of our cities? How are we looking to involve
communities and seek opportunities to fill that allotment shortfall and growing
demand?
We have the Underground.
We have vegetables and salads being successfully farmed underground
in London in a hydroponics farm below the streets of southwest London. Founders
Richard Ballard and Steven Dring have been selling micro-herbs and baby greens
to restaurants and markets since 2015. Importantly it can only be achieved on
quick growing salad plants and clearly is not a model for the wider community
today.
In London’s East End we are fortunate to have one of our
Society’s allotment plots within the award-winning Canary Wharf Crossrail
Rooftop garden. Surely planners and developers must be stretched and 106/CIL
monies used to create new community spaces in the sky and covert disused
railway viaducts into exciting ‘grow lines’?
Perhaps it’s time we all started to think vertical.
